Divine Providence
by Deer Tick
  • Record Label: Partisan
  • Release Date: Oct 24, 2011
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
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  1. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Oct 25, 2011
    91
    It's sure the right course correction for guys who've always fetishized the eternal old-timey more than any band from goddamn Providence should.
  2. Magnet
    Nov 15, 2011
    80
    Though Deer Tick has moonlighted as a Nirvana tribute band, it's the group's love for the Replacements that shines on Divine Providence. [#82, p. 55]
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  3. CMJ
    Oct 31, 2011
    80
    Deer Tick shows off a level of versatility on Divine Providence, making for a record that will please long-time fans and newcomers alike.
  5. Uncut
    Oct 25, 2011
    80
    It's all served with such a knowing grin that you can't help but love it. [Nov 2011, p.96]
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  6. Paste Magazine
    Oct 24, 2011
    80
    It's a freewheelin' LP that features all of what we've come to know and love about Deer Tick without feeling like a rehash.
  7. American Songwriter
    Oct 21, 2011
    80
    Divine Providence, music that the Creator Himself may have sent, is the best, funniest, most detailed, thrilling blast of rock and roll since The Hold Steady's Boys And Girls In America.
  8. The A.V. Club
    Oct 25, 2011
    75
    Deer Tick's members act like kids, but Divine Providence is best when they sound like full-grown men.
  9. Filter
    Oct 26, 2011
    74
    The Providence-based outfit delivers another terrific effort.
  10. musicOMH.com
    Mar 30, 2012
    70
    As it is, Divine Providence is very good rather than truly great.
  11. Drowned In Sound
    Mar 22, 2012
    70
    Setters of trends, they will not be, with this offering. Providers of mindless, chaotic R&R, they most certainly can be.
  12. Prefix Magazine
    Oct 31, 2011
    70
    Divine Providence is the group's best album to date, but doesn't necessarily have its best songs to date.
  13. Rolling Stone
    Oct 25, 2011
    70
    On a set of howling rockers, frontman John McCauley pulls a genre jailbreak as impressive as the time that Ryan Adams ditched Whiskeytown to pledge his love for Morrissey and electric Dylan.
  14. AllMusic
    Oct 24, 2011
    70
    Their loosest, wildest, and most honest collection of Saturday night/Sunday morning pining/drinking songs to date.
  15. The New York Times
    Oct 24, 2011
    70
    Maybe it's the contrast, but the album's cooler-headed and more sentimental songs also thrive in this mess.
  16. Consequence
    Oct 21, 2011
    70
    Divine Providence is the Deer Tick we've always known was behind the chugging, 90 proof country rock.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. dittodelbalzo
    Mar 5, 2012
    10
    Pitchfork is the worst thing in the history of music criticism, music, criticism, writing, art, the internet, people, things, the universe.Pitchfork is the worst thing in the history of music criticism, music, criticism, writing, art, the internet, people, things, the universe. Divine Providence is probably the best album since The Strokes landed. Get it. You'll love it.… Full Review »
  2. Steech
    Jun 10, 2012
    8
    Divine Providence propelled Deer Tick out of a circulating category of bands we like into bands we love. The Tick proved it knew how to makeDivine Providence propelled Deer Tick out of a circulating category of bands we like into bands we love. The Tick proved it knew how to make credible Americana a long time ago. But while other albums were good they all lacked one thing: The Great Song. Divine Providence differs from the other albums. For starters, it contains several Great Songs. It also contains a bad song or two. But the latter isn't a problem. Having a clunker actually makes Divine Providence a better record for the same reason that Springsteen and Replacements records are great despite songs like "Cover Me" and "Lay It Down Clown." Deer Tick has ditched most of their furtive searching for the Sun Studios sound and started pondering - of all things - 80s rawk (think Bob Seger or .38 Special). Again... And this is a tough sell, but stick with me... It works. It's amazing, actually. Other bands in recent memory have tried this and failed (has anyone else noticed that nowadays Lucero sounds like Shane MacGowan singing Billy Joel songs?). Deer Tick knocks it out of the park. They can also drink you under the table. And while there's a lot of braggadocio... machismo... whatever you'd like to style it... Divine Providence isn't as misogynistic as the 80s rock it's playing off of. I have to echo another reviewer: Pitchfork isn't always lucid in its proclamations. They give punishment scores for breaking dumb scene rules. Getting within a 50 mile stylistic radius of Bob Seger breaks every scene rule there is, but we can learn something here. Our a priory self righteousness is a handicap. Turns out bonehead rawk can be good, if done correctly. My advice to consumers is to get over their prejudices. It can cause one to miss important things.… Full Review »
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